Please defund OPS

I am deeply concerned about how much money goes to the Ottawa Police Services. We know exactly what over-policing leads to, and it's not safer communities. It leads to racial divides and gross injustices committed against our BIPOC neighbours. These are people we should be celebrating, not further brutalizing.

Furthermore, as a queer disabled person, even though I'm white, I know that I could very well be one wellness check away from the end of my life. I should not have to live in fear of the police, and neither should anyone else in this city! We could make so many lives better if we prioritized and invested in healthcare, transportation, and community services instead of police. Our most vulnerable neighbours suffer most at the hands of the police, and they would benefit most from a reallocation of those funds. Police are not a community service! Spend that money on community care and give us the tools to take care of ourselves and each other. This could be a wonderful community, rather than one that lives in fear.